A woodland fire pit is the perfect central place for you, your friends and family to come together, share stories and enjoy the outdoors. In this film by Natalie Clements, we meet Jason Miller, founder of Military and Emergency Services Help (MESH) and volunteer instructor Damian Booth who show us how to create the perfect fire pit. Jason talks about the importance of community and being outdoors for mental health. MESH is for those military and emergency services personnel who have experienced PTSD and other mental health issues. It offers them and their whole families the opportunity to come together, learn some bushcraft skills and be outside in nature.

In this film by wildlife film maker Cameron Wright we learn some top tips for successful wildlife photography: types of camouflage clothing, positioning to avoid detection, and how to get close to avoid scaring the wildlife away.

In this film by outstanding wildlife film maker Natalie Clements, we return to Richard Lloyd Evans from Project Nestbox. Richard tells us about the amazing redstart and pied flycatchers, their migratory route, habitat and how to identify them. He sets out how we can encourage them to our woodlands, features of the nest boxes they favour and where to site them, and materials to use to protect them from predators and the weather. To learn more about the work of Project Nestbox please see: https://www.projectnestbox.co.uk/ https://www.youtube.com/@projectnestbox https://www.facebook.com/projectnestbox https://www.instagram.com/projectnestb0x/ Our first film with Richard was on how to encourage owls to your woodland and can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/aU_3nqdMGrI.

Ever wondered why trees lose their leaves in Autumn, or how climate change may affect this seasonal cycle? In this film by rewilding film maker Jack D'Gama, we meet Thiago Silva (lecturer at the University of Stirling and National Geographic Explorer) and Sam Rogerson (entomologist and ecologist from the University of Stirling). Thiago and Sam explain the importance of the leaf cycle for the functioning of the woodland ecosystem, why it occurs, and the significance of the forest floor's leaf litter for invertebrates and wider woodland health. For more information on Thiago's research, please see his X handle @thi_sanna and his LinkedIn profile. To follow Sam and his research on social media please see @naturefromsam.

In this film by wildlife film maker Tom Hartwell, Howard Inns from The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) provides practical guidance on how to encourage reptiles like grass snakes and slow worms into your woodland. He talks us through how to provide food sources, warmth, and places for them to hibernate and lay their eggs. You can also access the ARC's free habitat management handbooks here: https://www.arc-trust.org/habitat-management-handbooks. For more information on the fabulous work of the ARC please see https://www.arc-trust.org/; https://www.instagram.com/arc.trust.official/; https://twitter.com/ARC_bytes; https://www.facebook.com/ARCTrust; and https://www.youtube.com/user/ARCTrust. Special thanks to Barry Deakin for showcasing his wonderful woodland and how he has created the right conditions for healthy reptile populations.

In this film by rewilding film maker Jack D'Gama, we meet mycologist David Satori who specialises in mycorrhizal woodland ecology. David introduces us to the diversity and complexity of woodland fungi and their symbiotic relationship with trees, and why mycorrhizal fungi are just as important as trees in a woodland ecosystem. David explains how the fungi share nutrients with the trees which provide sugars from photosynthesis to the fungi, but how this relationship is not always altruistic. For more information on David's work and research please see https://www.rewildingmycology.org/david-satori/ and on Instagram, @rewilding_mycology. Autumn is the most interesting time to see fungi in woodlands. To celebrate this, we have an accompanying blog on mycorrhizal fungi coming out on 22 November 2024 (look out for it here: https://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/). Did you miss the fascinating October webinar on truffle hunting hosted by our partner organisation, Small Woodland Owners Group (SWOG)? If so, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qR4lZrDYLQ.

In this film by accomplished film maker Henry Kirkwood, Steve England from Outdoor Learning takes us to the stunning Frome Valley to show us how to find fossilised trees such as Calamites and other carboniferous tree fragments. He talks about how to 'read' the geological rock structures, the tools needed for fossil hunting, and demonstrates how to find them. To find the best UK fossil locations near you see http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/fossil-locations-of-great-britain/. The UK Association of Fossil Hunters (https://ukafh.com/) also has a wealth of information and educates on how to conduct safe, responsible and sustainable fossil hunting. Steve runs wildlife, foraging & outdoor education courses in Bristol. For more information on Steve's courses please see: Website: https://steveengland.co.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steveenglanduk YouTube: @steveenglandoutdoorlearnin6439

Here is a short to our film by actress and presenter Nicola Kelleher in which we learn how to make laundry soap from English ivy (Hedera helix). You can see the full film here, https://youtu.be/Tt8LAOImojA. As English ivy can cause skin irritation for some people, it is recommended that you wear gloves and always wash your hands thoroughly after handling it. Please note, that this film is specific to English ivy only. There are many types of ivy, and some can be extremely toxic such as poison ivy in the US. Always make sure you are 100% positive in your identification of English ivy and check with several different sources of information. If you go foraging for English ivy following this film then it is at your own risk. Also remember to make yourself aware of any countryside laws relating to foraging specific to your area.

In this film by actress and presenter Nicola Kelleher we learn how to make laundry soap from English ivy (Hedera helix). As English ivy can cause skin irritation for some people, it is recommended that you wear gloves and always wash your hands thoroughly after handling it. Please note, that this film is specific to English ivy only. There are many types of ivy, and some can be extremely toxic such as poison ivy in the US. Always make sure you are 100% positive in your identification of English ivy and check with several different sources of information. If you go foraging for English ivy following this film then it is at your own risk. Also remember to make yourself aware of any countryside laws relating to foraging specific to your area.

In this film by Cameron Wright, we meet Lynn Bowser to hear about the work of Argaty Red Kites, central Scotland's only red kite feeding station. Lynn tells us about the reintroduction programme that has brought these birds back from extinction, as well as other wildlife conservation projects they are working on, such as riparian planting and red squirrel protection. We also hear some top tips on what we can do in our woodlands to encourage birds of prey. Visitors are welcome to visit the project and watch the red kites from the hide. For more information on the work of the Argaty Red Kites, please see: https://argatyredkites.co.uk/; Instagram @argatyredkites; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/argatyredkitesuk, and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@argatyredkites2866.